Pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of disease and/or symptoms in arthritis

Abstract

The invention relates to the use of a combination of cannabinoids for the treatment of pain, inflammation and/or disease modification in arthritis. Preferably the cannabinoids are selected from cannabidiol (CBD) or cannabidivarin (CBDV) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or tetrahydrocannabinovarin (THCV). More preferably the cannabinoids are in a predefined ratio by weight of less than or equal to 19:1 of CBD or CBDV to THC or THCV.

1 - 42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . A method for treatment of arthritis comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a pharmaceutical formulation comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a combination of cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), wherein the ratio of CBD:THC by weight is 1.5:1 to 1:1.5, and wherein the amount of the pharmaceutical formulation administered to the subject is effective to modify rheumatoid arthritis disease and treat the symptoms of pain and inflammation caused by the disease. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the arthritis is osteoarthritis. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the treatment of arthritis comprises improvement in quality of sleep in arthritis. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the ratio of CBD:THC is 0.93:1. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the pharmaceutical formulation is packaged for delivery sublingually or buccally. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the pharmaceutical formulation is in the form of a gel or gel spray, a tablet, a liquid, a capsule or for vaporization. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the pharmaceutical formulation further comprises one or more carrier solvent(s). 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the carrier solvent(s) are ethanol and/or propylene glycol. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the ratio of ethanol and propylene glycol is between 4:1 and 1:4, optionally wherein the ratio of ethanol and propylene glycol is 1:1. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the pharmaceutical formulation is in a titratable dosage form. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the therapeutically effective amount taken by the subject is a dose in the range of 5-25 mg per day of each of CBD and THC. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein CBD is administered separately, simultaneously or sequentially to THC. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the CBD and THC are present as a  Cannabis  based medicine extract (CBME), or wherein the CBD and THC are derived from one or more CBME(s). 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the formulation comprises a combination of:
 a) a  Cannabis  based medicinal extract which comprises THC at more than 90% of the total cannabinoid content in the extract; and   b) a  Cannabis  based medicinal extract which comprises CBD at more than 90% of the total cannabinoid content in the extract.   
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the CBME(s) are produced by extraction with supercritical or subcritical CO 2 , or wherein the CBME(s) are produced by contacting plant material with a heated gas at a temperature which is greater than 100° C., sufficient to volatilize one or more of the cannabinoids in the plant material to form a vapor, and condensing the vapor to form an extract. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the CBME(s) comprise all the naturally occurring cannabinoids in the said plant(s). 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the CBD and THC are substantially pure. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the CBD and THC are synthetic. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the CBD-containing CBME is characterized by a chromatographic profile as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , where the retention time of the CBD is between 5.4 and 6.4 minutes. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the THC-containing CBME is characterized by a chromatographic profile as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , where the retention time of the THC is between 9.6 and 10.6 minutes. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the CBME containing THC and CBD is characterized by a chromatographic profile as illustrated in  FIG. 3 .